About Me

I am a Christian wife, mother, daughter, sister, auntie, teacher, and friend who loves to be around people. I married the most wonderful man in the world almost five years ago, and we have been blessed with two precious baby girls, Harper Claire and Hollyn Caroline, who we are both absolutely crazy about. I have been blessed beyond what I deserve and I try to live everyday as if it were my last. I love to go places with my family and friends but being home is wonderful too. I am obsessed with reality tv, and I tend to procrastinate often! I love my life and I wouldn't change a thing!

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Auntie's Love Bug

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Well, I feel like I am becoming one of those bloggers that annoy me.....the ones who don't update but once a week! LOL So, sorry about that and I'll try to do better!

Last week seemed to fly by and then there was practically NO weekend at all! Saturday morning, my mom and I headed to Cookeville to finish registering and then we did a little shopping for ourselves! We started out by going to one of my soon-to-be favorite stores....I finalized our registry there and also bought these for myself...

If you have never been, you must go! They have the cutest, sweetest little clothes for boys and girls. They also have prom apparel, shoes of every kind, baby furniture, car seats....everything a girl could want! Here is one of my favorite things on our registry....it's hopefully going to be Harper's Easter dress next year! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! Dont' you?

It was a very nice and relaxing day and we found some very good deals and some things that we were looking for. When we got back, we left for Murfreesboro to go eat to celebrate my parents' 31st anniversary! We went to Olive Garden (my 1st time) and it was GREAT! If there hadn't been a tornado destroying parts of M'Boro less than 10 miles from the restaurant, it would've been a little better. But, at least we were safe. After going out to eat, we ran a few errands and then went by to check out the tornado damage and headed home! It really was a nice day of family fun....despite the yucky weather around us!

Other than that, I have been trying to finalize my lists for our baby showers and I am getting so, so, so excited! It is getting to be crunch time, and I'll be honest, I'm beginning to break a little nervous! I absolutely can not wait to meet Miss Harper, but at the same time, I feel like there is so much that needs to be done before she makes her arrival........I mean.....it's less than 11 weeks away, people! ahhh.....So exciting and so nerve racking at the same time.

So, on that note, we have finally finished all our registries and I am so excited about everything! Everything is so little and so cute and I just can't wait to use everything. We began registering at Sew Sweet and Ready, Set, Grow since they offer so many cutesy, girlie things that Miss Harper could use! That part was super easy, but then came the harder part. The things that we NEED! So, we are also registered at....

So, our showers are in just a few weeks, and we are also having maternity pictures made by the talented Andi Nave (see link on my sidebar) and we just can not wait for everything! We are super excited and super thrilled to see the outcome of everything. I can't wait to go to our showers and see how everything came together because some of it is being kept secret from me (I love it) and I know everyone is going over and beyond what we deserve! We feel so thankful and blessed to have such wonderful family and friends....what more could we ask for? Other than that, my weekly visits start a week from today, and actually, I am excited! It seems like forever since we've had an ultrasound and seen pictures of our little wild woman (she is becoming SUPER active and I'm loving every single second of it!) and I am honestly looking forward to seeing her every week and knowing that she's just perfect. Please continue to keep our family in your prayers that everything continues to go so well! We are truly blessed beyond what we deserve.

With that, I will close with my weekly photo! Here I am.....28 weeks pregnant! It's so funny, because people have been stopping me and saying, "It's about time you begin to look pregnant!" It just makes me laugh....but boy, am I looking pregnant now! I love it!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

I have been wanting to blog everyday this week, but I have definitely kept myself busy throughout Spring Break! I haven't gotten just a whole lot done, but that's okay....I've had a whole lot of fun! :) lol

One thing that I did was shop for paint for Harper's room. We have said since we knew that it was a girl and I picked out bedding, that the room would be pink. Weeelllllll, after we saw the fabric in person, I was afraid that it was going to be waaayyyy too much pink! So, we have decided to go with a very soft, pretty green instead and then we are going to accent w/ pink. Brandon went by Saturday morning and got samples of the two greens we were trying to decide between and told me he painted a little on the wall for me to see. Here's what I came home to....There are green squares all around her room!!! I just had to laugh. He said he wanted to see it from every angle and in every light! lol He's such a mess! We have decided on the darker green because, as you can see, the lighter looks yellow. And, as I mentioned, we are accenting w/ pink, and here's a sneak peak into one project I've started for her nursery....I'll update pics when it's finished!

Also, this week, I have done quite a bit of sewing. It is soooo fun and soooo relaxing. AND, I sold my first dress....I thought it turned out too cute and obviously others did too because I have already had another girl wanting one! lol I AM NOT starting a business, but I did do these for a friend! I am by no means good at this, and I just wanted to do it for me and my amusement....never did I ever imagine anyone would want to pay for my stuff....I think that is completely hilarious! But, I'm flattered that they like it so well! Here's a little something that I threw together (lol) for my niece today...I plan on making capris out of the striped material w/ a floral ruffle, but this is what we have for now...this is part of her Easter present! But, I know she will look so sweet in whatever she decides to wear!

Speaking of looking sweet, I bought Harper's little coming home outfit yesterday and I absolutely LOVE it!!! I was going to buy her something all fancy, and then decided better of it! lol I figured she and I would both be much more comfortable if she wore this instead....Is this not the sweetest thing you've ever seen? I can't wait to wash and iron it and bring my baby girl home! I can't believe that it's even remotely close to that time!!!

Other than that, we also received another item in the mail this week...I love, love, love it! We ordered our highchair w/ some money that I got as a gift from school and it came early Friday morning and I just had to get Brandon to put it together before I could go to bed Friday night! lol Isn't it beautiful? It has a khaki cover also, but it's getting a little personalized, so I'll have to post pics of the actual finished product later! I'm sooooooo excited!

And, to end this long post, (lol) I actually remembered to take another belly pic this week. What's funny is that I don't even look as pregnant as I did last week. I had on a little hosiery (and was miserable, by the way), and it concealed it a little bit! lol You can tell by the pic that I didn't feel just great this morning.....I guess that's what you get when you have pretty bad allergies and live in the nursery capitol of the world! lolHowever, I am going to bed pretty early tonight and hope to get a good night's rest because it is back to the real world tomorrow....Spring Break is over!! I'm sad, but the sooner we go back, the sooner we get out for summer....which means Miss Harper will be here! YAY!!!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Today, I had a dr's appt. at Vanderbilt and Brandon had to work, so my mama offered to go with me! Well, we decided to just make a day of it and get some things accomplished before we headed to Nashville. So, we started off by looking for a few maternity things for me because I really need a few odds and ends. Well, we went to Ross and Marshall's first and found a few really cute tops that aren't necessarily maternity and can be worn later....LOVE THEM...and don't you know, I got a super deal on them all! (I'll try to post pics later!) Then, we had lunch at the Chop House and it was AWESOME! I had never been there, but I will definitely be back! Then, we made another stop or two and headed toward the hospital!

Well, may I say, my appt. went wonderfully! She said she thought I was doing perfect! I love hearing all these great things from my dr's when people are so quick to tell you all the negative things that could happen. And, to top that off, I have a test ran every time I go to the diabetic dr. called a hemoglobin a1c, and it is an indicator of how your sugars have been running over the course of 3 or 4 months. Well, they like for it to stay around 6 to 7. Needless to say, before getting pregnant, my last a1c was either 8.4 or 8.8! NOT GOOD, but I've definitely heard of worse. So, as soon as I got pregnant, I went down there, and mine was 7. Much better, but needed to be lower. Next appt....6.4! Awesome! Then, the next appt was after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years' (plus I had been kinda sick w/ a sinus infection which causes my sugars to run high) and it was 6.7. My dr. said that was really good considering everything that had been going on. Well, guess what????? Today, my a1c was......6.4!!!!!!! I was soooooooo excited! I feel so good and I am so glad that my health is in control.

So, other good news, some friends of ours finally delivered their baby girl today at 36 weeks and she is just perfect! They have had so much trouble trying to get a healthy baby into this world and to see her in person all healthy w/ chubby cheeks is just an absolute miracle and we are so happy for them and their new family!

LAST, my fabric swatches for my bedding came today! YAY!!! I was so excited...I've been waiting on these a while and I was so anxious to get home and see them. The colors are so much prettier in person and I can't wait to see how the bedding turns out! So, tomorrow, I am off to the paint store to pick out wall colors....can't wait! I'll be sure to post before and after pics when the room is painted!

Well, it's getting late and I'm going wedding dress shopping with my little cousin tomorrow....it makes me feel sooooo old! lol But, I am so excited and I hope we can at least help her get a better idea of what she's looking for! Hope everyone has had a wonderful Wednesday!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

I just noticed today that we have less than 100 days til our due date! That is so hard to believe! It seems like just yesterday we were telling people we were pregnant...time really does fly! I want her to be completely healthy, but I can't wait for her to get here either! I really want to enjoy this time with Brandon before she gets here because I KNOW it will never be the same! Even though that's completely okay with us, it's kinda a bittersweet feeling too! It's getting to that scary point....where you begin to worry about labor, contractions, you know the fun stuff. But, then again, I also have a lot of fun stuff to keep me occupied too, such as maternity pictures (which I CAN NOT wait for), baby showers, getting her room/closet ready....fun, fun, fun!!! I can't wait! We are going to have the best time just playing with this little girl!On another note, have you heard Darius Rucker's song "It Won't Be Like This for Long"? Oh my goodness....we heard part of it the other night at the concert and I have added it to my playlist. It's a real tear jerker...for me anyway! It is too sweet and I don't want time to go by so quickly when Miss Harper gets here...I want to enjoy and cherish every moment! Please help me remember this! Hope everyone is having a Happy St. Patrick's Day and Tuesday! I'm off to bed early....these late night concerts are beginning to catch up with me! xoxo

Monday night, my friend, Angela and I went to the Sommet Center to see the New Kids on the Block in concert....and IT WAS FAB-U-LOUS!!! MTV's America's Best Dance Crew, the Jabawockeez, opened for them and it was so amazing to see them in action, in person! GREAT! We were like 2 teenagers screaming at the tops of our lungs and having the time of our life. At first, we didn't know how the crowd would be, but it ended up being full....of women of course! I told Brandon it was so funny because we were like some of the youngest ones there. I have never seen them in concert and it was worth every penny! We had great seats and we had an even better time. This ticket was an early birthday gift from my husband and I don't think he could've gotten me anything that I would've enjoyed more! Here are a few pics from our fun night (I took TONS!) lol.....

Our awesome seats...A great friend to accompany me...The opening act...The men of the night...My favorite...lolTessa's favorite...hahahaThey know how to please a Tennessee crowd...The awesome ending to a perfect night...

Did I happen to mention what a great, fun time I had??? The pictures do not do it justice. This was such a lively concert and I'm so glad I got to go! Next to us was a mother/daughter duo and the mom was either sitting down or gone somewhere 90% of the time and Angela leaned over and said, "That'll be you and Harper the next time they come back!" hahaha:) Too funny....except Harper will probably be the one sitting and her mom up singing every word! Too much fun! Hope everyone is having a great week! xoxo

Sunday, March 15, 2009

This family needs all the prayers they can get! http://www.thetippingfamily.com/I can not even begin to fathom what they must be going through. I ran across their blog just a few short days ago and they had just lost their first baby. She was pregnant with sextuplets and delivered one that did not make it. They thought she might deliver that one's twin, but, last I checked, she was doing better and they thought she'd be able to carry them all until hopefully 28 weeks............SHE LOST THEM ALL LAST NIGHT!!!!!!! I sincerely hope I never know what's she's going through, but I am going to thank God more tonight for my little healthy blessing and quit worrying about things that truly don't matter. You never know when you may be the one needing the prayers...it only takes a minute to lift someone up in prayer and you never know who all needs just something so simple from us! I'm going to bed even more thankful than I was before....xoxo

That's the best word I could think of to describe the Paisley Party concert Brandon and I went to last night! It was GREAT!!!! All the men did an excellent job entertaining the crowd and we had a great date night! It'll probably be one of the last for a while. lol

Darius and Dierks did a wonderful job as openers and I thoroughly enjoyed them both....although I don't think Harper did. She moved around while Darius was singing, but then Dierks was super loud and she kicked....HARD....through most of his portion. I was glad to see Brad Paisley come out, and obviously so was she because she calmed down tremendously after that. lol

Here are a few pics from last night....You know the weather was very rainy yesterday...hence the flat hair! Oh well....no one was there to see my hair anyways. lol

Well, yesterday marks our 26th week of pregnancy, therefore we are officially in the third trimester! YAY!!! I promise, until recently, unless you knew I was pregnant, you seriously could not tell. Well, it's getting to the point where you can, so, I decided to pull out the maternity clothes so that I will get some wear out of them.

So, at church this morning, I totally looked pregnant, and I decided that we needed to start taking pics every Sunday to watch growth. Well, I look super duper pregnant in these pictures.....LOL Then, I put on comfy clothes to go to the in-laws, and nothing! Couldn't even see little miss Harper hiding behind there. lol

Here is our first official belly pic at 26 weeks......more to come weekly (hopefully....)!

Friday, March 13, 2009

It is FINALLY spring break and I could not be more excited!! I don't really have a whole lot planned, and that's partly why I am so ecstatic! I want to sleep late, wear my pj's most of the day, and do NOTHING!!! lol

However, there are a few events that I am totally super duper excited about. The first include these three gentlemen:

Brandon and I have had tickets to this concert forever and we are so excited to go tomorrow night! We have very good, floor seats and I can't wait to see the show. There are supposed to be a bunch of people going that I know, so I hope to run in to some people I haven't had the chance to see in a while. My biggest decision for tomorrow night is what to wear with this growing belly and crazy weather! lol

The other event that I'm most excited about kinda happened on a whim....I received an email last week reminding me about the concert and it showed upcoming concerts and I saw New Kids on the Block listed. (Hence the reason for the new music.....lol) I knew they were coming to Nashville, but I figured the tickets were sold out. So, I just clicked to see what kind, if any, tickets were left..........you are not giong to believe this..........we could get tickets in section 2! SECTION 2!!!!! RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE STAGE! I could not believe it. So, my other exciting event involves one of my best friends and these 5 men:

I ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT WAIT!!! Monday night, my friend Angela and I are going to see NKOTB and again, sitting in floor seats. Since I didn't buy them at that moment, we are now in section 4, but still have awesome seats! We are both like giddy teenage girls waiting for this concert! We will so leave w/ t-shirts and everything. lol

Other than that, I really don't have any plans. I have a doctor's appointment (surprise, surprise) in Nashville on Wednesday, and that's it! So, I hope to maybe get some stuff accomplished around the house and maybe work on Harper's room a little. I feel so far behind when I see people who is less pregnant than me with their rooms completely finished. The crib isn't here, the bedding isn't here, the paint isn't picked out, the room isn't completely cleaned out.....ahhhhh! I feel like I have so much to do...but then again I step back and think....she'll never know it if her room isn't perfectly finished when we bring her home. There are much bigger fish to fry, but I do want to get things moving before I get too big.

Speaking of getting big, people keep telling me that if they didn't know I was pregnant, that they wouldn't know it. As much as that is a total compliment, I am going to start wearing more maternity clothes so people know I'm not just putting on more weight. lol By the time I start looking pregnant, she'll be almost here. lol So, I'll update some pics soon since I am finally starting to appear pregnant....and starting my 3rd trimester tomorrow, I think that's definitely a good thing....but keep in mind, I have a lot of room to carry this girl! lol

Hope everyone has a great weekend. I'll be singing loudly for several days and Harper will probably be kicking me to death begging me to hush! LOL

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

WELL....I would love to load this post w/ countless ultrasound pictures....BUT....we have a stubborn little girl on our hands! (LOL - My mama said not to call her stubborn! I thought that was too cute!) Anyway, we went to the dr. yesterday to have the echo and a regular ultrasound for growth and then met with a dr. Well, as usual, Harper's head was buried in my back. She was laying on her belly again with her little butt right up in the air. So, I asked, "Well, can you still tell for sure it's a girl!" Guess what? NOPE! She was sitting indian style on her feet....and WOULD NOT move! WOULD NOT!! This girl definetly has a mind of her own. lol The wonderful, sweet girl doing the ultrasound did everything in her power to get her to move and she was having no part of it! NONE! I was like omg!! So, after about 20 minutes or so of poking this momma, she said she wasn't going to be able to get the images today. She was able to see her face better and her nose and lips....Harper was actually sucking on her fingers for part of the time....too cute! :) Then, she told us that she weighed about 1 pound and 10 ounces and that was about in the 40th percentile...which is good.

I was so sore when I left from being poked on, and then we had to go see the dr. Well, I really thought I probably hadn't gained much, if any, weight this time because I just didn't feel like i had....well guess what?? WRONG AGAIN! A lot of people keep telling me to enjoy it and not to worry about it, but I have always, always been conscious of my weight and being pregnant is no exception. I just HATE that part of the visit...that is seriously what I dread every time. They shouldn't have to weigh you...lol Just kidding...I know they have to, but I wish they didn't!

Anywho, the visit went well. She said everything looked perfect and was measuring great. She said she thought I was doing great as well, so that made me feel good. She listened to her little heartbeat and it was between 150 and 155, which is good. Then, she measured me and said I was measuring around 27 weeks and I am 25 and 1/2 so she said that was normal too! So, all is well, and I could not be happier.

Now, I go back in 4 weeks and have more ultrasounds....an echo (hopefully) and one for growth. Then, I'll meet w/ a dr. again, and then I should start going weekly! So, please continue to keep us in your prayers that everything continues to go well....we sure hope so! In the meantime, we need to be working on her nursery and getting things ready....she will be here before we know it!

Monday, March 9, 2009

I, usually, hate to feel that way....but you know the worry wort I am, and tomorrow makes me nervous! Tomorrow, we go to have a fetal echocardiogram of Harper's heart, a normal ultrasound, and then meet w/ the doctor. I will say it again, I feel in my heart that she's perfect in every way....but it just makes me nervous that she might not be and it could be something I've done! I'm praying about it and I know that God is in control! We love her to pieces no matter what already and she's our little miracle, so I'm going to keep that in my thoughts!

So what is fetal echocardiography?

Fetal echocardiography is a test using sound waves (ultrasound) to study the structure of your baby’s heart before birth. The OBGYN may obtain a limited view of your baby’s heart during a routine pregnancy ultrasound. However, a fetal echocardiogram is a very detailed evaluation of your baby’s heart by a specialist in fetal echocardiography. This is just a precautionary procedure since I am an insulin-dependent diabetic....that's why I'm so worried! I don't want for something I've done to affect her in any negative way!

So, let's all send up a little extra prayer for the Fuston's tonight...I'll definitely post pics and updates after our appts. tomorrow. I'm excited to see how big she is and how much she has grown in the last 6 weeks. After this appt, we will go back in 3 more weeks, and then weekly visits! YAY! .....okay, a little sarcasm there....but it'll all be well worth it in the end when I see her precious face! Please pray......xoxo

Friday, March 6, 2009

Someone sent this to me in an email and it was just too good not to share. This is exactly how I want to live my life and be remembered. I want to go on Saturdays with my kids even if the house isn't spotless, I want to eat ice cream after dinner, I want to ride four-wheelers on the weekends with my husband, brother, sister-in-law, and friends....I want to live life to the fullest because we never know when it may be our last......ENJOY!

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask ' How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head? Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow,' and in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi'?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift.....Thrown away.

Life is not a race.....Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over.

Life may not be the party we hoped for.... but while we are here we might as well make it the best we can.

My house has been needing to be cleaned for a while now....there's either been NO time or I just haven't been up to it (or wanted to do it!) Anyway, I was super motivated for some reason today. The techs hooked up my new computer at school w/ my huge new screen and that must've set the mood...I started cleaning up around my classroom and then I was determined to get our house cleaned before the Bachelor...I know, I know...I don't know WHY I am going to watch, but I'm a sucker! lol But, oh well, my house is cleaned and I'm going to relax and watch the drama unfold.

Here's what I love to see when I come home...a clean bedroom w/ a well-made bed! I'm easy to please, right???And, do you know what this picture means??? Harper's room is FINALLY getting emptied out and cleaned up so that we can start transforming it into her perfect little nursery. It'll look completely different in a matter of weeks and I CAN NOT wait to see the finished product. If you know me, you know this plain room is driving me crazy and I have all sorts of girly ideas running through this head! :)

Here's another plus in my day...TWO empty laundry baskets...I have been a busy girl! (I know there is still some laundry, but I'm waiting to make a full load!) lol

Now, after all this cleaning I've been doing, I'm sure I'll definitely be putting this back massager to good use at some point tonight...

AND, another thing before I get to the fun stuff :), does anyone have blinds like these in their house? They are that faux wood and I really like them...EXCEPT...how on Earth do you clean them??? I literally spent like a whole day one Saturday vacuuming and wiping these things down and they just get so darn dusty! My mom suggests taking them down and washing them outside in hot, soapy water, but someone thought it might fade them.......do you have any suggestions???? I need help...they are driving me crazy and I want this house to be really clean before we bring this little baby home!

NOW, the fun stuff.....

Look what I bought yesterday and guess what I'm going to be doing sometime this week? I plan on making Harper and Madelyn some more matching dresses and I am sooooo excited to see how they turn out!

Now, finally, one last baby thing to end the post....I have been warning Brandon that our house is going to be flooded with baby paraphernalia very soon. lol Well, this little rocking horse was a Christmas present for the baby from her Aunt Randi and it is the cutest thing ever...Madelyn loves it now. lol It moves its head and tail and makes the cutest little horse noises. I LOVE it! So, while I was trying to arrange everything and get organized, I moved him into the living room underneath our sofa table and it is so cute sitting there....it seems like reality that we are going to have toys everywhere very soon!Well, I think I am going to watch the Bachelor ATFR 2 now....I just can't get enough of that drama. lol Please let me know if you have any suggestions on the blinds and I'd love to hear your comments on this bachelor madness....

Monday, March 2, 2009

Again and again, I say that this is the last time I will ever watch the Bachelor/Bachelorette....and again and again, I continue to be a closet watcher. lol Well, after tonight, I am fed up!! I just want there to be another Ryan and Trista and a happily ever after. If this crazy twist is what it takes for there to be one, then so be it! But, it's going to have to be someone really good or someone I am really, really interested in for me to watch this again!

Now, if the next Bachelorette is Jillian....I'll go ahead and say it, I'll definitely be tuning in! I just love that girl! What are your thoughts about the crazy finale tonight?

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Yep...that's what I'll be doing soon! :) haha When I first got pregnant, a few people told me to go ahead and invest in some maternity underclothes. Needless to say, I didn't listen because I thought I'd be able to pull off just wearing what I already owned.....WRONG! They are about to cut me in two! Seriously, I feel like Harper is going to have an indent in her forehead if my Motherhood Maternity order doesn't hurry up and get here.....lol

Other than that, I am super duper excited tonight because there is NO SCHOOL tomorrow!! I love unexpected days off!!! :) They're the best! But, I have several things to do tomorrow....things that aren't fun like dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning the bathroom! But then, one of my best little friendy's and I are headed to M'Boro to eat lunch and do a little shopping, so I'm definitely looking forward to that part of the day!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week and try to enjoy the last little bit of the snow lying around! xoxo